Home Shanghai China Shanghai Hotels About
Home  ›  China  ›  Shanghai  ›  Puxi vs Pudong
Shanghai Area Guide · 2026

Puxi or Pudong
which side of Shanghai?

One river, two completely different cities. Here is how to read the difference — and which side fits your trip.

Understanding the split

One river, two cities

The Huangpu River divides Shanghai cleanly in two. Puxi (literally "west of the Huangpu") is the old city — The Bund, Nanjing Road, People's Square, the French Concession's tree-lined streets and the best restaurants in China. Pudong (east of the Huangpu) barely existed thirty years ago. Today it holds three of China's tallest skyscrapers, the Lujiazui financial district, Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Disneyland.

The two sides are connected by Metro Line 2 — ten to fifteen minutes and about ¥5. So this is not a question of which side is accessible. It is a question of what you actually want to walk out of your hotel and find. And that question has a real answer, depending on your trip.

Here is the honest breakdown — no filler, just what you need to pick a side and book.

Quick verdict

The short answer, before the detail

If you need to decide right now

First visit / want to walk everywhere / here for food, history and shopping Stay in Puxi — The Bund is on your doorstep, Nanjing Road is a few minutes' walk, the French Concession has the best meals and coffee in the city, and People's Square connects you to the whole metro network.
Want skyline views from your room / business in Lujiazui / flying through PVG / Disney with kids Stay in Pudong — Bund-facing rooms are genuinely spectacular, rooms tend to be larger for the same price, Maglev to the airport takes 8 minutes, and Line 16 runs straight to the Disney resort.
Pudong · East Bank

The skyline city, built in thirty years

Oriental Pearl Tower — the pink-balled icon of the Lujiazui financial district in Pudong, Shanghai

In 1990, Pudong was farmland. The city that replaced it contains Shanghai Tower (632 m), the tallest building in China; Shanghai World Financial Center (492 m); and the pink-sphered Oriental Pearl Tower (468 m) — all within a few blocks of each other in Lujiazui, visible from The Bund across the water like a very expensive film set.

Beyond the skyline, Pudong has a clear practical case. The Maglev train from Pudong International Airport (PVG) reaches Longyang Road in 8 minutes at 430 km/h — the fastest way into any major city from any airport in the world. From Longyang Road, Line 2 runs west across the river into Puxi. And Metro Line 16 from Longyang runs south-east to the Disney resort in roughly 25 minutes. If your trip involves any of those three things, Pudong saves you meaningful time.

Pros & cons
River-facing rooms looking back at The Bund — genuinely one of the great hotel views
Rooms tend to be larger at the same price point as Puxi
8 minutes by Maglev to Pudong Airport (PVG) — nowhere else in the world beats this
Line 16 direct to Shanghai Disneyland from Longyang Road in ~25 min
Lujiazui is clean, quiet and easy to navigate — excellent for business travellers
World-class business hotels (Kerry, Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental) clustered tightly
Street life is thin — few local breakfast carts, neighbourhood markets or casual noodle shops
Old Shanghai (French Concession, Yu Garden, The Bund) requires crossing the river
Lujiazui is not really a walking neighbourhood — distances between landmarks are big
Budget dining options are noticeably fewer than in Puxi
Hotel picks · Pudong

4 real hotels we recommend on the Pudong side

9.4
Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai
Lujiazui · 5-star · river views + full-service amenities

One of Pudong's consistently highest-rated hotels. Large rooms, an indoor pool, multiple restaurants and the reliable Shangri-La service standard. Walking distance to IFC Mall and the Lujiazui financial centre. Guests who have stayed here come back — that is the most honest thing to say about it.

Read full review →
9.1
Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai
Lujiazui · 5-star · Bund-facing river views

If waking up to The Bund framed in your window is the point of this trip, Mandarin Oriental Pudong is the most direct way to get there. River-facing rooms looking west toward the Art Deco waterfront are what this hotel is known for — and they deliver. The spa and dining are strong too.

Read full review →
9.0
The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong
Lujiazui · 5-star · floors 53–71 of Shanghai IAPM

Rooms start on the 53rd floor, which means almost every window in the building has a view that would be a penthouse suite elsewhere. The rooftop bar on floor 58 is one of the most sought-after drinks seats in the city. The place to stay if you want to spend a long weekend feeling genuinely above everything.

Read full review →
9.4
Hilton Garden Inn Shanghai Lujiazui
Lujiazui · 4-star · best value in the district

The straightforward, honest option for Pudong: Hilton Garden Inn delivers the location and a clean, well-run property at around half the price of the 5-stars next door. Review scores are strong for this segment — 9.4 is not luck. The right choice when you want Lujiazui proximity without the full luxury price.

Read full review →
Business Hotels Shanghai Near Shanghai Disneyland Near Pudong Airport Bund View Hotels
Puxi · West Bank

The city as it actually lives and eats

Puxi is what most people picture when they imagine Shanghai — The Bund, the mile-long Huangpu waterfront lined with colonial-era banks and trading houses, looking across at the Pudong skyline that grew up opposite in their lifetime. Nanjing Road, the main shopping artery, running west from The Bund through People's Square. The French Concession, where the plane trees are old and the best restaurants in the city hide on the cross streets.

The practical difference between Puxi and Pudong is most visible in the morning. In Puxi, you can walk out of your hotel in Jing'an at 6 am and find scallion pancake vendors already set up, noodle shops open, wet markets filling. In Pudong's Lujiazui, those things do not exist in the same way. Puxi is the city that Shanghai's residents actually inhabit — not just visit for meetings.

The Bund in Puxi — Shanghai's historic waterfront with Art Deco buildings lining the Huangpu River, Pudong skyline in the background
Pros & cons
The Bund is walkable — morning, afternoon, evening and midnight all look different
The best food in Shanghai: local restaurants, street food, French Concession cafes
Nanjing Road — major brands + street snacks + the full tourist and local mix
People's Square: 3-line metro hub, everything in the city accessible from here
French Concession: bars, dinner restaurants, the most atmospheric streets in the city
Yu Garden and the Old City are one or two stops away by metro
Bund-facing hotels carry a significant location premium — you pay for the address
Some hotels offer smaller rooms than Pudong equivalents at the same price
Pudong Airport (PVG) takes 45–60 minutes rather than 8 on the Maglev
The Bund and Nanjing Road are crowded — peak weekend evenings can be intense
Hotel picks · Puxi

5 real hotels we recommend on the Puxi side

9.4
The Peninsula Shanghai
The Bund · 5-star · where The Bund meets Nanjing Road

The most coveted address on the Bund. The Peninsula sits precisely at the point where Nanjing Road East hits the waterfront — you can walk to the river in three minutes and to Nanjing Road in two. The building is 1906 Beaux-Arts; the service is Peninsula. People who stay here are very specific about where they stay when they come back.

Read full review →
9.2
The Middle House Shanghai
Jing'an · 5-star · Piero Lissoni design · strong food and bar

Not on The Bund, but in Jing'an — and for a certain kind of traveller that is the right call. Italian architect Piero Lissoni designed the interiors; the result is one of the few hotels in Shanghai that feels genuinely considered rather than generic luxury. The restaurant and bar are good enough that non-guests book them too. Metro access is easy.

Read full review →
8.8
Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai
The Bund · 5-star · Art Deco 1929 · Jazz Bar still plays nightly

The building opened in 1929 as the Cathay Hotel — writers, film stars and diplomats passed through during Shanghai's 1930s heyday. The Jazz Bar on the ground floor has had a band playing since then. If you want the weight of that history, this is the only hotel that actually has it. The Art Deco interiors are not a reproduction.

Read full review →
9.6
Atour Light Shanghai Bund
Huangpu · 3-star+ · highest-rated mid-price hotel in the area

The honest answer for budget-conscious travellers who want to stay near The Bund: Atour Light has the highest review score in its price bracket on the Puxi side. Clean, newer fit-out, walkable to the waterfront. You do not get the grand lobby — but you do get the location, and that is often what matters.

Read full review →
9.5
JI Hotel Shanghai People's Square
People's Square · 3-star+ · metro hub · excellent value

A score of 9.5 from over 9,000 reviews means something: guests consistently find this hotel does exactly what it promises. People's Square puts you on top of three metro lines, within walking distance of Nanjing Road, and at a price that leaves money for the things you actually came to Shanghai to do.

Read full review →
Luxury Hotels Shanghai Bund View Hotels Budget Hotels Shanghai Nanjing Road Area Romantic / Couples
Side by side

The full comparison, in one table

Factor Puxi (West) Pudong (East)
Vibe Historic, walkable, street-level energy, Art Deco Modern, corporate, spacious, futuristic skyline
Views Looking east at the Pudong skyline from The Bund Looking west at The Bund and Art Deco buildings from your room
Walkability High — The Bund, Nanjing Road and French Concession connect on foot Moderate — Lujiazui has a riverside promenade but distances between sites are longer
Food The best in Shanghai — local restaurants, street food, cafes, all budgets Good international and mall dining; fewer cheap local options
Shopping Nanjing Road East + West · Xintiandi · Jing'an Kerry Centre IFC Mall · Super Brand Mall · K11 Pudong (premium malls)
Metro access People's Square: Lines 1, 2, 8 — the city's central hub Longyang Road: Lines 2, 7, 9, 16 + Maglev to airport
Airport (PVG) ~45–60 min via Line 2 + Maglev from city centre Maglev 8 min from PVG to Longyang Rd, then Line 2
Hotel price Bund-facing commands a premium; Jing'an / People's Sq offer better value Often larger rooms at the same price; Lujiazui rates competitive vs Puxi
The decision

Pick this side if you are…

A first-time visitor who wants to actually feel Shanghai — stay Puxi, in Jing'an or near People's Square. Walk out, turn left, find breakfast. The Bund is fifteen minutes on foot. The French Concession is two Metro stops. You get the city, not a view of it.
Someone who specifically wants Bund views from the pillow — stay Pudong. Book a river-facing room at Mandarin Oriental Pudong or Kerry Hotel. The view west toward the Art Deco waterfront is the best hotel view in China, and Puxi cannot give you that from the inside.
A family with one or two Disney days on the itinerary — stay Pudong, near Chuansha or Longyang Road. Line 16 to the Disney resort is 25 minutes. From Puxi it is 25 minutes plus the cross-river journey, which adds up fast when you have park opening times to hit.
A business traveller whose meetings are in Lujiazui or who flies frequently through PVG — stay Pudong, clearly. Kerry Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton or the InterContinental NECC keep you on the same side as your office and your departure gate.
Frequently asked

FAQ · Puxi vs Pudong

Which side is cheaper — Puxi or Pudong?
Pudong is generally better value at the same star rating. Hotels in Lujiazui tend to have larger rooms and more competitive pricing than their Puxi counterparts. Bund-facing hotels in Puxi carry a real location premium. Budget rooms in the ¥200–400 range exist on both sides, but Pudong typically delivers more space for the money. See the budget hotels guide for specific picks.
Which side should first-time visitors to Shanghai stay on?
Most first-timers get more out of Puxi. The Bund is walkable, Nanjing Road is a short stroll, the French Concession has the best food and atmosphere in the city, and People's Square metro hub connects you to everything else. You feel the city rather than looking at it from a tower. For the full neighbourhood breakdown, see the Shanghai city guide.
Which side is better for families going to Shanghai Disneyland?
Pudong, clearly. Metro Line 16 runs directly from Longyang Road station (interchange with Line 2) to the Disney resort in around 25 minutes. Staying in Puxi adds 30–40 minutes of travel each way — which matters when you are catching a park opening. Hotels near Chuansha station or inside the Disney resort are the most practical choices. See hotels near Shanghai Disneyland.
Which side is best for skyline photographs?
It depends on what you want to photograph. The Pudong skyline (Shanghai Tower, SWFC, Pearl Tower) is best shot from The Bund on the Puxi side. The Bund and its Art Deco buildings are best photographed from Pudong — either from the riverside promenade or from the observation deck at Shanghai Tower (floor 118). In short: stay in Pudong to shoot the Bund; stay in Puxi to shoot the skyline. See Bund-view hotels for rooms that face the waterfront.
How do you get between Puxi and Pudong?
Metro Line 2 is the main link — 10–15 minutes, about ¥4–6. There is also the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (a decorated underground shuttle, ¥55 one way) and the public Huangpu River Ferry (¥2) between the Bund and Dongchang Road in Pudong. The ferry is the least expensive, takes around 10 minutes, and gives you an unobstructed view of both waterfronts in transit — worth doing at least once.
Which side is better for a short layover if flying through Pudong airport?
Pudong. The Maglev runs at 430 km/h from Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Longyang Road in 8 minutes — after which Line 2 takes you anywhere in the city. If you have only one night or an early departure, staying in Lujiazui or near the airport in Pudong avoids a cross-river journey on a tight schedule. Flying from Hongqiao (SHA) — the domestic and high-speed rail terminal — makes a Puxi hotel the smarter call. See hotels near Pudong Airport.
Shanghai City Guide
Hotels, sights, The Bund, Yu Garden, transport and practical tips
Read →
Where to Stay in Shanghai
The full neighbourhood breakdown — every district covered in detail
Read →
Top 10 Hotels in Shanghai
Kerry · Peninsula · The Middle House · ibis — every budget, both sides
Read →
Shanghai Food Guide
11 dishes you must eat, with real restaurants and honest prices
Read →
Highest-Rated Hotels in Shanghai
The 10 hotels with the strongest review scores across both sides
Read →
Top Luxury Hotels Shanghai
Peninsula · Bvlgari · Mandarin Oriental · Kerry — which side has what
Read →